Just had to post this - I built a Salmon rod for my brother this summer on a Rainshadow IP965 blank - as was suggested by Karry at Batsons. I secured a D-ring with velcro around the NPS reelseat so he can attached the simple shoulder harness to it that I made him when fighting a Salmon. And when Custom Tackle had those blanks on sale, I picked up the Rainshadow IP904 also since shipping wouldn't be any extra.

My wife fished with the IP965 Friday and wasn't casting her bait out very far so I rigged her up with the IP904 thinking it was a bit lighter and more flexible and would cast her bait a bit further. Well it worked and she was casting much further with it. Then she managed to hook a 30" Salmon and landed it after a 10 minute struggle. She's 4'11" and 105 pounds soaking wet and was putting a pretty good bend in that rod. And she has given me notice that the Rainshadow IP904 rod is now HER rod.

I think for the money those Batson Rainshadows are hard to beat. (Oh yeah, I caught two 8" Rainbows that day on my Salmon tackle).

Congradulations...........I'm pretty good at reading MFG blank designations, you were out catching Salmon on 4 and 5 wt. fly rods? When the rest of the Salmon catching world uses a 8 wt and up. She may want a new 8 wt rod after catching a few Salmon in successsion

Actually these are one piece spinning blanks. The IP965 is an 8' long 10 - 20 pound line, the IP904 is a 7'6" long 8 - 17 pound line. I think the 4 & 5 are the power ratings - great blanks.

The IP 965 is an IM6 (I), Popping rod blank (P) 8ft (96 inches) 5 power blank. Lamiglas and others use a similar way of discribing their products.

My bad I always think Fly rod blanks 1st and am not familar with with theses mfgs series designations, it was not wise to assume